Beating the Addiction
by Mikazukino Hikari
Summary: The first step is admitting you have a problem.


_Title:_Beating the Addiction  
_Series:_ Inscribed on the verso  
_Challenge:_ Six Words Story Expansion Challenge  
_Rating:_ G  
_Summary_: The first step is admitting you have a problem.

AN: Not entirely happy with this. I think it kinda rambles at the end. But I tried. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own them.

* * *

Rikku would do anything for gil.

Well, maybe not anything. There were a couple things on the 'do not do' list that wouldn't be scratched out for _any_ amount of gil. Probably. Definitely. A few things. A couple. And really not all the time. Gil wasn't always her top priority. But usually her top priority had a price tag that required gil. Usually a lot of gil. So most of the time, she needed the stuff. So really gil _became_ her top priority most days. Getting it anyway. Not like the stuff was just lying around.

Good thing she'd had the craftiness to be a really good thief. Slim hands. Quick fingers. Light touch and all. She didn't start wearing skimpy clothes for nothing. Distraction was half the battle and always handy. In all forms.

But really, she was supposed to be a responsible adult. Many little girls looked up to her as a role model of sorts. Which, really, was a scary thought. Still, they did so all the thieving was over. Or most of it. Well from people she didn't know anyway.

So she had to earn it.

Because she really needed that catalyzer and those stabilizers. And the transmission coils. And the exhaust converter. And the combustion chamber. And…

She needed gil.

Which was why she found herself in Bevelle.

In the Old Folks home. With the old school Yevonites.

Teaching them how to use comspherees and other bits of machines that had made their way into their residence.

Teaching children was easier. They argued less.

Still, it paid well. And they weren't too bad for old folks stuck in their ways. It may have something to do with being a respectable leader of sorts. Or perhaps it was being a mother. She'd grown patience. Sort of. But they hardly ever called her names. In fact, most of them spent the entire time talking about how _they_ had always known that the Al Bhed were good people and _they_ had always thought that everyone should get along.

Which, after the fiftieth recitation, was a bit hard to take.

But it paid so well.

***

Gippal looked up as his wife came into the room and stalked over to him. He put his book aside just in time to avoid her sitting on it as she collapsed into his lap. He chuckled as she curled up with her head tucked into the hollow of his shoulder. Dropping a kiss on her hair, he wrapped his arms around her, letting his hands rest on her hip.

"You know, sweetheart, you could just take the parts from the inventory without paying for them. We _do_ technically own them."

"But then we'd go into deficit for them. We paid to bring them up and for them to be cleaned and repaired. And we have other _paying_ projects to use them on. It is fiscally irresponsible."

He laughed. "Does anyone else know about your head for business or is it just me?"

"Paine does probably. She's observant. And nosy, despite getting angry when people snoop into her business."

"True," he chuckled.

"And most of the Faction does by now, I'm fairly sure. Other than that, not really. Not usually the talent I prefer to use."

"I'm just glad I have you for paperwork."

"So is the paperwork. Sometimes, Gippal, I wonder if you know the alphabet." She sighed and wiggled closer to him. "And it's only one more day before I have the money for the parts we need most. After that, we can start work on the renovations."

"And how do you think the Faction will get along without us. Who will do the paperwork?"

"Gippal, it's just an airship. We won't be gone forever. We'll just live somewhere else."

"True," he agreed thoughtfully. "Do you suppose we can still do it in the work rooms though?"

She rolled her eyes. "Idiot."

"It is fun to see their faces when they realize what we're doing."

She chose to ignore him, curling her legs further until she was almost entirely in his lap. "How were the twins?"

"They're sleeping now, mischief makers."

"They are _our_ kids."

"They've missed you a lot this week though."

"Me too," she yawned. "Stealing is _so_ much easier. But no, I just _had_ to go and become a _role model."_

"Need me to get you anything to make you feel better?" he asked at his wife's muttering, running his hand down her back soothingly .

"This is enough."

…

Well. Maybe some gil.


End file.
